..."Archbishop Jacquelyn, how are things progressing?"
Inside the Baylor Great Sept, the High Sparrow, with a calm expression, sat before the statue of the Father, inquiring of the tall, thin man in red robes beside him.
However, his flickering gaze betrayed his slight unease.
"Not ideal, Your Grace, the High Septon."
Archbishop Jacquelyn's face showed no joy or sorrow. Behind him were two men with dull yet somewhat fanatical eyes, holding longswords, guarding Jacquelyn on either side.
"In recent days, due to the large-scale operations of the Gold Cloaks, there have been far fewer thieves and robbers in King's Landing.
"Furthermore, they've recruited many poor people who couldn't afford food to work, providing them with ample provisions, so we've found it almost impossible to recruit anyone."
"Not to mention, we also have to deploy most of our manpower to publicize the glorious image of Lord Arthas."
"In these days, we've only gathered just over thirty young and strong men in total. The Sons of the Warrior project has been severely hampered."
Listening to his report, the High Sparrow's expression remained unchanged, but the worry in his eyes grew heavier.
He turned to look at Jacquelyn, who was dressed in red. This man was the most obedient of all the archbishops, and arguably the most devout.
In his words, he only believed in the Seven Gods, and he would obey whoever held the position of High Septon.
Compared to the others, who were either obsessed with rising in power or had already pledged allegiance to Arthas, this archbishop made him feel very secure in his use.
"Not enough."
Gently closing his eyes, the white-haired High Sparrow pondered in his mind.
"Arthas's combat power is too strong. Thirty-odd Sons of the Warrior armed with weapons might not be enough to take him down."
More importantly, on the day he was forcibly brought in to take office, the High Sparrow felt an unprecedented threat in Arthas's eyes.
It was a shiver from the depths of his Soul. In front of him, he couldn't even muster any thought of resistance.
"No, I must get rid of this man."
Shaking his head, the High Sparrow felt such a strong sense of crisis for the first time in his life:
"We still need people, Archbishop Jacquelyn."
"No matter what method you use, by tomorrow, I must see at least one hundred Sons of the Warrior!"
Facing the High Sparrow's unquestionable gaze, Archbishop Jacquelyn showed no intention of refusing.
"I will attend to it immediately, Your Grace, the High Septon."
Jacquelyn always handled matters with great efficiency, without any sloppiness.
Upon receiving the High Sparrow's order, he simply flicked his robes and left the Baylor Great Sept directly, taking the two Sons of the Warrior with him.
"No one in this world dares to threaten me."
"Arthas, I will make sure you receive the judgment you deserve before the Seven Gods!"
After Jacquelyn left, the High Sparrow's facial muscles twitched slightly. He gazed intently at the statues of the Father and Mother before him, his hands clasped tightly against his forehead, seemingly praying for himself... "Lord Arthas, please try the oatcakes I made myself!"
"Lord Arthas, please accept these fresh eggs laid by my own hen this morning!"
"Lord Arthas, please take a look at the hymn I wrote for you!"
On the road from the Red Keep to Steel Street, Arthas and his retinue were surrounded by the residents of King's Landing, who eagerly offered their best possessions, continuously pressing them upon them.
Since the King's Landing Purification Plan began, the public order in King's Landing was a world apart from before.
Not only had violent acts such as theft, robbery, murder, and arson become rare, but even the previously foul-smelling streets had become clean and tidy thanks to the efforts of prisoners and the poor people from Flea Bottom.
Coupled with the church's continuous propaganda, claiming Arthas was the Incarnation of the Father, Mother, and Warrior of the Seven Gods, his prestige among the people of King's Landing grew daily.
Some even subtly spread rumors that Arthas should sit on the iron throne.
Of course, regarding these rumors, our Commander of the Gold Cloaks always ignored them, neither supporting nor refuting them, adopting an attitude of letting them develop.
This also led to Arthas being almost immediately surrounded by enthusiastic King's Landing residents whenever he appeared in public.
And Arthas also acted very approachable. With complete confidence in his own strength, he never carried any protective forces when he went out.
At most, he would bring Gendry and Lancel.
Smilingly refusing everyone's kind intentions along the way, Arthas stepped into a blacksmith's shop amidst their reluctant gazes, while Gendry and Lancel thoughtfully stood guard at the entrance.
This shop was Gendry's former apprenticeship shop. It was larger than any other shop on Steel Street, built of wood and plaster, with a height that overlooked the entire street.
The two large doors were made of ebony and weirwood, carved with a hunting scene.
On either side of the doors stood a stone knight, clad in red armor, posed as if a griffon and a unicorn were guarding the entrance.
Such an imposing storefront was enough to show the owner's exceptional skill.
"Oh, Lord Arthas."
Tobho Mott, the owner of the blacksmith shop, who was meticulously examining a newly cast greatsword, quickly put down the sword and, with panda eyes, enthusiastically came forward to greet the golden-haired youth as soon as he entered the door.
"I didn't expect you to come in person. I am truly flattered."
Because of the Gold Cloaks' massive order, Tobho Mott had almost worked three consecutive all-nighters with over a dozen apprentices, just to produce a satisfactory sample for Arthas before the deadline.
"Great Master Tobho, the appointed day has arrived. I am here to see the samples today."
The golden-haired youth's robust physique surpassed that of his former apprentice Gendry, yet his demeanor was incredibly humble and polite, not arrogant despite being the patron.
"He truly is like a youth stepped out of a bard's tale!"
Looking at his handsome face, sculpted physique, and courteous manner, Tobho couldn't help but exclaim, believing a few more points in the possibility of Arthas being a Reincarnation of the Seven Gods.
However, admiration aside, business had to be done. Hearing the purpose of his visit, Tobho quickly snatched the greatsword from behind him and respectfully presented it to Arthas with both hands:
"Lord Arthas, please examine it."
Gently grasping the hilt, Arthas lifted the heavy two-handed greatsword with one hand and held it flat before his eyes, scrutinizing it carefully.
The silvery-white blade was incredibly smooth, clearly reflecting his face, even his tiny eyelashes were visible.
The blade seemed to be engraved with incredibly intricate patterns, and under the sunlight, it even revealed a hint of red.
"Clang~"
He flicked it with a finger, and the entire blade emitted a crisp ringing sound, clearly indicating its superb forging craftsmanship.
"For this sword, we used a unique forging method, undergoing thousands of quenchings and polishings, and infusing it with traces of colored metal."
Speaking of the greatsword's forging technique, Tobho proudly puffed out his chest, confident that when it came to forging ironware in King's Landing, if he was second, no one dared to claim first.
"One could say that if all the City Watch guards were equipped with such greatswords, they would be capable of cutting through the armor of most knights in Westeros."
Seeing the satisfied look on Arthas's face, the proud Tobho also secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Although he had absolute confidence in his skills, Arthas was known as the first knight of the seven kingdoms, and if he were to nitpick, his reputation would be ruined.
"However..."
"However what?"
After Arthas put down the greatsword, Tobho hesitated again before speaking:
"A greatsword like this takes at least five days to forge, and the cost is as high as forty-five gold Dragons..."
"And that's without me making any profit at all."
"It's alright, Tobho."
Facing the master smith's hesitation, Arthas very magnanimously expressed his indifference.
This man's forging skill had clearly reached its peak, even reminding him of an old friend.
"One two-handed greatsword of this craftsmanship, one light side sword, plus a set of fine iron armor."
"I will give you a unit price of one hundred and fifty gold Dragons."
He waved his hand grandly, and amidst Tobho's excited gaze, Arthas reminded him again:
"But I need at least two thousand sets in three months. Can you do it?"
Hearing Arthas's conditions, Tobho hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth:
"Yes, Lord Arthas, I accept this order!"
He certainly couldn't handle such a large order alone; it would be better to do a favor and bring in all his peers in King's Landing.
Nodding in satisfaction, just as Arthas put down the greatsword and prepared to leave, Lancel rushed in with hurried steps and whispered into his ear:
"Lord Arthas, His Grace, the High Septon, has invited you to attend the evening worship ceremony at the Baylor Great Sept tonight."
"He said that as an Incarnation of the Seven Gods, you have never attended an evening prayer, which is somewhat improper."
"I knew this fellow wouldn't be able to hold back much longer."
Listening to Lancel's report, a playful smile appeared on his handsome face, and his golden eyes gleamed with an anticipation as if he was about to taste a delicacy.
"Tell the High Sparrow, I will definitely 'attend the banquet' on time!"
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